The invention concerns a gluing station for the adhesive binding of sheet blocks with clamping fixtures for localizing the sheet block as well as with a glue application device that at least provides a glue application roller that is movable relative to a block spine by means of a carriage.
Such a gluing station is known from DT 1486748. The gluing station is provided with clamping jaws between which a sheet block is localized such that a lower block section with a block spine to be glued protrudes freely downward. A glue application device is coordinated to the block spine that provides a roller set that is positioned in a glue container that applies the glue to the block spine. The roller set comprises two extremely rapidly rotating rollers that rotate counter-directionally to each other.
A process and an apparatus for double-fan adhesive-binding books, book bodies, brochures and the like is known from WO 00/69651 A1 that encompass two different embodiments.
A first embodiment provides a glue pad that acts on the block spines that is set into a swinging motion by means of a crank control. In a second embodiment the glue pad is rocked and subsequently milled or kneaded using a mobile table.
The task of the invention is to create a gluing station of the type mentioned at the outset that achieves a secure and long-lasting adhesive bond with simple means.
This task is solved in that movable tightening fixtures for buckling the block spine are provided and that the carriage is arranged on a linear carriage track that is tilted at least nearly parallel to the slant alignment of the block spine. By slanting the block spine the sheet edges of the block spine are automatically pushed against each other by a small amount and as such fanned out. Each sheet edge is moistened with glue not only on the face side but also over the slightly fanned out strains in that at least one roller moves parallel along the fanned block spine by means of the carriage. The at least nearly parallel alignment means that the carriage and subsequently at least the one glue application roller can also be moved linear relative to the block spine in a small attack angle of less than 5xc2x0.
In the embodiment of the invention the clamping fixtures localize the sheet block such that a block section provided with the block spine to be glued protrudes from the clamping device loosely able to be fanned at a defined length of preferably at least 50 mm. This protruding block section can therefore be buckled on the side desired and subsequently slanted causing the block spine to fan out, i.e. the slight shift of all the edges relative to each other.
In another embodiment of the invention the tightening fixtures grab opposing outer sides of the protruding block section of the sheet block by means of securing jaws that squeeze at least the respective outer side of the sheet block. The tightening fixtures are preferably equipped with linear actuators that are connected in their front face areas to the coordinated securing jaws. The result is that the loose block section can be buckled and subsequently slanted with particularly simple and yet reliable means. In addition to the outer side, in many embodiments the pages beneath it are also squeezed.
In another embodiment of the invention at least one linear actuator is aligned at an acute angle relative to the adjacent outer side of the sheet block in the direction of the block spine. This enables tension to be exerted onto at least one of the two outer pages defining the outer sides of the sheet block as well as on the respective sheets located underneath as necessary, which prevents the respective outer sheet, which serves as the end, as well as the respective sheets located underneath from welling.
In another embodiment of the invention the tightening fixtures are movable such that the block spine can be positioned into two oppositely inclined slanted positions. The tightening fixtures are subsequently able to buckle the protruding open block section into a slanted position in both the one as well as the other direction. This way it is possible to apply glue to the sheet edges first on one sidexe2x80x94and after turning overxe2x80x94on the other side. When turned over to the other side the glue of each sheet edge applied on the first side is automatically already applied to the respective other side of the adjacent sheet edge.
In another embodiment of the invention the carriage track is attached on a seesaw to tip such that the carriage track can be aligned to the various slanted positions of the block spine. Depending on the alignment and realization of the slant of the block spine the carriage track is also repositioned to enable reliable glue application.
In another embodiment of the invention a drive is attached to the glue application roller by means of which the glue application roller is drivable in various-rotational directions. In a preferred embodiment of the invention only one single glue application roller is provided. Thanks to the optional counter or co-rotation of the glue application roller a variety of different effects can be achieved. When the glue application roller is run counter-directional, the sheet edges of the block spine are also mechanically deformed. This makes it possible to mushroom the block spine, which is desirable for many types of adhesive bindings.
In another embodiment of the invention a seesaw bearing a carriage track is arranged on a horizontally movable adjusting platform. The ability of the adjusting platform to move horizontally makes it possible to adjust the carriage track and subsequently the glue application to sheet blocks of various thickness.
In another embodiment of the invention an alignment device is attached to the adjusting platform that matches the horizontal path of the adjusting platform to differences in the thickness of different sheet blocks. The alignment device detects the respective thickness of the sheet block clamped in by the clamping fixtures and moves the adjusting platform such that in any case the glue application roller comes into contact with the block spine. The feature of the adjusting platform as well as the alignment device provides the benefit that neither the carriage track nor the carriage or the glue application roller require additional adjustment in order to achieve certain glue application with any sheet block thickness.
In another embodiment of the invention the alignment device provides a bracket stop on both sides of the sheet block that is permanently connected with the adjusting platform that is positioned to the height of the sheet block and is attached to the sheet block or a component attached to the sheet block. This is a particularly simple and yet reliable option for aligning the carriage track and subsequently the glue application roller exactly to the respective clamped sheet block and thus always achieving certain glue application.